The nowadays ruling that no word is unprintable has, I think, done nothing whatever for beautiful letters. The boys have gone hog-wild with liberty, yet the short flat terms used over and over, both in dialogue and narrative, add neither vigor nor clarity; the effect is not of shock but of something far more dangerous — tedium.

There must be a magnificent disregard of your reader, for if he cannot follow you, there is nothing you can do about it.

Her big heart did not, as is so sadly often the case, inhabit a big bosom.

Now that you've got me right down to it, the only thing I didn't like about The Barrets of Wimplole Street was the play.

There was a reason for the cost of those perfectly plain black dresses.

Q: What's the difference between an enzyme and a hormone? A: You can't hear an enzyme.

How do people go to sleep? I'm afraid I've lost the knack. I might try busting myself smartly over the temple with the night-light. I might repeat to myself, slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound; if I can remember any of the damn things.